Legally perfect, spiritually bankrupt

Luke 11:37-41

After Jesus had spoken,

a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home.

He entered and reclined at table to eat.

The Pharisee was amazed to see

that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal.

The Lord said to him, "Oh you Pharisees!

Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish,

inside you are filled with plunder and evil.

You fools!

Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside?

But as to what is within, give alms,

and behold, everything will be clean for you."

Today’s Gospel reading really spoke to me today, because we argue a lot about liturgical perfection these days.  I’d even consider myself a “Trad Cat” (traditional Catholic for those who don’t know) and yet as I read this Gospel and connect it with a dozen other scriptures something major hits me that I’d like to share.

We can/could have the absolutely perfect Mass liturgy, and be completely on point about every prayer, and still not please God.  You see, The Pharisees were liturgically on point.  They made the perfect sacrifices, they wore all the bells and whistles in their vestments, they observed every law, yet time and time again Jesus pretty much calls them dumb.  Why?  Well as we read on in Luke 11 Jesus lists off all these things they do….they tithe their mint and herbs to mathematic perfection, they hold places of honor,  and they impose the law on others.  All of these things they do, but do not, apparently, lift a finger to really help anyone.  They sit in judgement patting each other on the back about how they are doing everything correctly and other people are less because they don’t.  Jesus in this chapter is ripping these guys for that.  He’s basically saying none of it is pleasing to Him if you don’t love your brother and help lift them up.  In fact, Jesus in verse 44 He calls them “Unseen graves” or “Hollow tombs”.   Which to the Pharisees was a complete insult double slap in the face.  According to Numbers 19:16 contact with a grave made one ritually unclean.  In essence, Jesus was saying not only were they unclean they were causing the people around them to be unclean by contact with them!  WOW!  That had to leave a mark.  If Jesus had said that to me I’d been reduced to tears on my face before him begging forgiveness.  Think about that.  Imagine Jesus saying your name and then saying that not only were the works you do “in the name of the Lord” sinful to God, but your very presence causes others to sin too.  That makes me sick at my stomach to imagine. 

Time and time again, Jesus tried to teach them and us that God is love, and love is a choice we need to make every day for everyone.  We can get so wrapped up in liturgical perfection we forget that.  Love is embracing other people in their imperfections, helping them carry the burden, and lifting them up.  It’s not that how we conduct our worship isn’t important.  It’s that when you are so worried whether or not you’ve tithed to mathematic perfection, whether or not Ms. Smith is wearing the right mantilla, or how deep you and the person next to you genuflects over and above doing the next right thing for your neighbor that we are at risk of becoming pharisaical. 

Isiah 42: 3-4 comes to mind when we enforce or snipe at each other about these things that are pettier than loving each other.  In these verses we are given a description of the gentle care of justice.  “He shall not break a bruised reed or snuff a smoldering wick.”   We can’t know the struggle of another person’s heart, of their spiritual walk with the Almighty.  The Pharisees didn’t care about the hearts of those who were believers under them.  They cared if people were tithing to the mathematical nth degree for their own glory, and so they could look down on those who could not do that.  So, we need to examine our own hearts in these matters.  Are the rules and laws of our worship more important than the people who worship with us? Do we deny people hugs and comfort for a false sense/appearance of piety and “cleanness”?  Are we empty tombs that chase people out church and service to God, causing them to sin, by the faux piety of our presence?  If we are, and if we do, then we need to check ourselves because He wouldn’t be happy.  These things are important, not because I said they were, because Jesus taught that they were. 

Just some food for thought and prayer.

Heavenly Father, forgive me if I have placed law above love.  I ask you now that you give me a new heart, one that pleases you, by loving those you have given to me to love.  In Jesus name, Amen

Here I am, Lord, send me!

Lisa Brandel